


Sleeping Prince

by xxfergiexx



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Disney, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 17:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1696130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxfergiexx/pseuds/xxfergiexx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young prince must be hidden away so as to escape a dark wizard's curse. But the one who saves him was not another prince as the storybooks would have it, but a peasant boy who was the prince's only true love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeping Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: humuhumu88
> 
>  **A/N:** _The history mentioned of the three kingdoms and the Hwarang army was from this source and very much real:[History of Korea](http://www.koreaaward.com/kor/110) . The rest of the inspiration came from Disney's Sleeping Beauty. It's what this story is entirely based on, so you are going to find many similarities but you will also see how I took artistic liberties with it._

 

 

 

 

_The king stared at his five-year-old son and said, “This young lad will be your personal servant. His name is Changmin.”_

_Prince Yunho regarded the younger boy and instantly adored him. He threw his arms around Changmin, causing the servant boy to wince and gasp in shock._

_Prince Yunho giggled and he whispered. “Your eyes are so beautiful…and you will be at my side forever!”_

_Changmin was pulled along, Yunho holding his hand._

_He hoped the prince will never let him go._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the land of ancient Korea, the Silla and Baekje kingdoms ruled the south while the Goguryeo kingdom ruled the north. With the king of Goguryeo preoccupied fighting the Chinese, the kingdoms of Silla and Baekje were thriving. The land on the south of the Korean peninsula was rich with greenery, acres of rivers and valleys as far as the eye could see. Scenic shores lined the southern land. To the west, the Yellow Sea bordered Baekje territory, whose kingdom recently celebrated the birth of their new prince, Siwon.

Near the Sea of Japan to the east, the majestic palace of the Silla territory stood on top of a gigantic rock. The kingdom of Silla was also blessed with a newborn prince. The boy’s name was Yunho. He was the king and queen’s first-born, thus the apple of his parents’ eyes.

There was talk of uniting the Baekje and Silla kingdoms through a marriage alliance. For now, though, the princes were too young. More focus was given to trade and international growth of the kingdoms.

Yet, an evil force threatened the lands. The wizard, Jiyong, was a man of magnificence, both in physical appearance and attitude. Since the prosperity of the kingdom was quickly growing, he wanted to rule the kingdom for himself.

With a blaze of red light, the wizard appeared during the celebration of Yunho’s ninth birthday. The king and queen of Baekje, along with their son, were present at the extravagant ball. They were trying to push Siwon to make friends with Yunho.

Jiyong eyed the boys, mocking in a low tone, “How precious. The young princes meet, then fall in love and marry, pleasing their parents.”

Prince Siwon moved closer to his mother. The queen of Silla knelt and pulled Prince Yunho in her arms. The kings stepped forward.

Jiyong sneered. “How sweet. But you cannot protect that boy from my wrath.” The wizard pointed at Yunho.

The king of Silla shouted, “Why my son! Go back to the cave you crawled out of and leave us alone or I will have you beheaded!”

Jiyong laughed brashly. “You think you and your so-called army can defeat _me_?”

The king swatted the air angrily. “You speak of powers yet we have seen nothing but the work of a common wizard. You cannot touch my kingdom!”

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Jiyong smiled, “You challenge me, my king? I have powers from the depths of hell that stand no chance against a mortal army. But so be it, my king, if you want to test me, hear me now!”

The wizard swiveled his cape, facing the crowd of nobles gathered around with fear etched across their faces.

“It is our prince’s ninth birthday. This boy will have a purity of heart and mind and a beauty that will bloom when he reaches adulthood. He will be loved and adored by all. Prince Siwon won’t even be able to resist him.”

The queen relaxed her hold on Yunho. But then, Jiyong turned back around and pointed a finger at the small prince. “However…on his nineteenth birthday, Prince Yunho will happen across an enchanted rose, prick his finger on the thorn…and die!”

“No!” The queen bursts out in agony and called out to the young man standing in front of the curtains behind the throne. “Heechul! Please do something!”

Heechul bowed and lifted Yunho in his arms. “Come, little prince.”

Yunho looked over Heechul’s shoulder at the wizard as they moved further away from the main hall. The king banished Jiyong from the kingdom, which had the evil wizard in a fit of laughter as he vanished before the soldiers could grab him.  

When Heechul arrived at Yunho’s room, he whispered something foreign into Yunho’s ear. It sounded like a prayer…or a spell. Once it was over, Heechul shouted, “Changmin! Get in here, boy!”

Changmin was Yunho’s very young personal servant. He was born two years after Yunho in the palace from the queen’s head servant who was impregnated by a nobleman in the kingdom. Sadly, Changmin’s mother died during childbirth but the boy grew up in the palace. The queen assigned him to follow Yunho and keep the prince company, for the boy displayed a maturity beyond his years.

Running to halt in front of Heechul, Changmin said, “Yes, sir?”

Though Heechul was no nobleman, he was still higher up in the ranks than the younger boy so Changmin was expected to address him respectfully.

“The wizard paid us a visit…not sure if it was all talk but it seems he put a curse on Yunho. You must not leave his side. I’m going to the king and queen and see what our next move is,” Heechul gave Changmin a stern eye.

Nodding slowly, Changmin replied in a small voice, “We – We should kill the wizard.”

With a tight squeeze on Yunho’s shoulder, Heechul sighed, “If it was only that simple.” And the older male left the room.

Yunho solemnly stared into Changmin’s face and asked, “Am I going to die, Changmin?”

Fingers and toes curling, Changmin bowed lowly, “I would never let that happen, my prince.”

Yunho smiled and reached out to touch the young servant’s face. “ _You_ are my prince.” It was very obvious to all in the kingdom how attached Yunho was to Changmin. The moment the queen assigned the boy to him, the prince displayed a quiet but fierce affection for the servant.

“Please, do not say such things, your highness!” Changmin blushed.

Taking Changmin’s hand, Yunho requested, “Help me bathe?”

With a flutter of lashes, the servant complied obediently, drawing the prince a bath in the claw-foot tub. Young Changmin took great care in washing Yunho’s back, paying extra attention to the royal’s long dark hair.

Once dried and dressed in his night robes, Yunho sat on the bed and shook out his wet hair. Changmin knelt behind him on the bed and ran a brush through the mane. When the brush’s teeth snagged on a knot, Changmin gently ironed out the tangle so as to not cause his prince pain.

Finally tucked into bed, Yunho peered up at Changmin and asked, “Come sleep next to me?”

This was the first time the prince made such a request. Most of the time, Yunho requested a song before bed but never this…

Changmin hesitated. “A peasant is not to sleep in a royal’s bed.”

Yunho frowned. “Heechul said for you to not leave my side.”

This was true. With a cautious glance over his shoulder, Changmin climbed onto the bed and lied down over the covers. Prince Yunho immediately rolled over and hugged Changmin to him, cradling the younger boy. He cannot even remember the last time he was held like this. He never knew his mother or his father. He never knew family.

The servant breathed in the royal’s rich scent and silently thanked Buddha for a small taste of heaven. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The king and queen of Silla took immediate action after the incident at the ball. All the flower shops or bushes of roses in the kingdom were burned by the king’s command. Heechul gave the king and queen the idea of taking Yunho into hiding. Deep in the forest of the land where no one could find them – he would keep Yunho there until his nineteenth birthday. If Jiyong cannot find the prince, he cannot kill him, Heechul reasoned.

It broke the queen’s heart to not see her son for ten years but it had to be done. The king prepared a cabin in the woods and gathered tons of supplies for Heechul and his son.

Yunho was not made aware of the plan yet. He was outside, playing hide-and-go-seek with Changmin. Even when the prince thought he was being sneaky, his servant always found him. But Yunho ran and hid anyway, giggling under his breath.

After counting to twenty and opening his eyes, Changmin spotted a pair of bare feet underneath a large carriage. He waited a few minutes, pretending to search for the prince. Then finally hopped behind the carriage and yelled, “Boo!”

Yunho jumped and laughed. “You found me! But it took you longer this time!”

Changmin nodded, grinning.

“Changdollie…before the ball, I heard mother and father say something about me marrying Prince Siwon.”

Smile dimming, Changmin hoped he heard wrong, “Prince Siwon?”

“Yes, and he’s handsome,” Yunho reckoned. “But he’s dead boring.”

“You – you could love him later. Or you could just marry someone you love.”

Yunho grew silent, pondering the suggestion. Changmin tugged on the hem of his shirt, hating the rough, cheap fabric against his skin. He was peasant. He was born with nothing. He would never have the option to spend his life with the prince, a boy he knew and loved. It’s not fair that a snooty, boring prince like Siwon had the privilege.

Heechul and a solider came running, interrupting the boys’ thoughts. “Little prince, I have come to take you away,” Heechul said and snapped his fingers at the solider, signaling towards Changmin.

The solider grabbed the servant by the arm. Yunho yelled, “Changdollie! Heechul, what’re you doing?”

“He doesn’t want to serve you anymore, Yunho,” Heechul said stoically. “He’s just a spiteful peasant who wants freedom.”

 _What is happening?_ Changmin internally screamed. _Don’t believe him, Yunho!_ He wanted to run to the prince but the solider tightened the grip on his arm.

Yunho was shaking his head in disbelief, eyes sparkling with tears. Changmin’s heart sank, watching his prince being carried away.

He never got a chance to say good-bye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For almost ten lonely years, Prince Yunho grew up in small cabin in the woods. Old memories were blurred with the passing of time. His life as a royal became a distant, haunting memory.

Yunho sighed and stared out the window of his bedroom. Trees as far as the eye could see. He was never allowed beyond the woods. At times, he toyed with the idea of rebelling but Heechul’s wrath was not something he wished to test. 

Tomorrow would mark the beginning of his nineteenth year. Maybe this year he could make a special request…maybe he could be granted a tiny bit of freedom on his birthday.

“Little Prince!”

Yunho cringed as he hopped off the window sill and climbed down the small stairs to greet his companion. Heechul had a blinding smile across his face as he held up a large book.

“Guess what I was able to barter?” The glee in the older male’s eyes was contagious and had Yunho responding with equal excitement.

“What?”

“A cook book!”

Yunho’s face fell. “Huh?”

“I plan to make you the most delicious, most amazing cake ever for you birthday tomorrow!” Heechul set the book down and held out his arms to Yunho.

The young royal approached the other glumly, holding still in the embrace. Heechul sensed there was something amiss. “What is it, little prince?”

Yunho complained, “Heechul, I told you not to call me that. I’m not a prince. Not when I barely know my parents and they banished me to this Godforsaken place.”

Heechul stepped back and gravely stared into Yunho’s face. “Oh my…I’ve never seen you this way. What happened? I thought you were content with our little life here. This is your haven until the threat passes.”

“What threat?” Yunho pushed away. “Hollow curses from a blustering wizard? For all we know, the so-called curse was just hot air.”

Heechul frowned. “We cannot afford to take that risk and underestimate Jiyong’s power.”

Blowing out a long breath of frustration, Yunho sunk onto the sofa. Heechul threaded a few fingers through Yunho’s silky dark bangs. “Might I suggest an afternoon of picking flowers? Some of the bouquets by the windows are withering and looking dull.”

A tiny whirl of joy awoke Yunho’s heart. Hopping off the couch, Yunho grabbed his cloak and the wicker-basket near the door. “Bye, Heechul! I’ll be back before sunset!”

Heechul waved him off at the door, calling out, “I’ll just busy myself with cooking. Be careful, little prince! Remember to steer clear of roses!”

Yunho jogged down the trail leading further away from the cabin, pretending he was free and happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin leaned against his horse, Captain, and released a huge sigh. He had been patrolling the woods for hours. Only he and the rest of the youth corps, Hwarang, were aware of Prince Yunho’s hidden location in the center of the woods. By the king’s command, Changmin and a few others took turns continually patrolling and reporting any threat no matter how miniscule it may seem. The rest of Hwarang were stationed in the north to aide with the emitting war with China.   

Every day since the prince was taken away, Changmin prayed for a glimpse of the cute male but he knew that was near impossible for the Hwarang was not allowed to venture too deep into the forest for fear of Jiyong or any of his minions tracking them.

Changmin heard a sound, then. A deep, raspy bass singing a familiar tune. It was a tune he heard most often on his patrols but he had never been so tempted to seek it out than at that moment. The king’s command to stay on the outer edge of the woods rang in his head but the melodious tune grew louder. That voice had a heart, a strong passion that seemed to be bridled by some force. Changmin wanted to chase after it and set it free, release it from its prison.

With a strong urge to communicate with that voice, Changmin cleared his throat and bellowed out the beginning of a song he used to sing to the young prince. When he let his voice trail off, it was met with silence. Deeply disappointed, Changmin trudged on a few steps alongside his horse.

But then, the tune replied back. This time confident and assertive in seeking his out again. Changmin grinned and climbed onto his horse. He was going to find the owner of that lovely voice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yunho sat cross-legged on the ground when the husky, booming voice didn’t respond back to him. He craved a connection with another human being so desperately. And there was something about the song that was sung back to him…it was familiar.

His animal friends began to come out of their hiding places and gather around him, as they always did after he sang a song. The rabbit, Mo…the doe, Lu…the chipmunks, Rue and Sue. Each one was dear to him.

Lying back on the grass, Yunho let Mo nuzzle his cheek. Lu began huff for attention and so knelt at his side for a snuggle. Rue and Sue nestled on his chest for a nap. Yunho grew drowsy and closed his eyes, feeling content and safe with the animals surrounding him.

When he heard Rue and Sue squeaking and Lu scrapping his hoofs on the ground, Yunho sat up in alarm. First he saw a horse – a white stallion to be exact with small brown spots. There was a man perched on top wearing a boots and cape and an elongated hat with a feather sticking out from the back of it.

Yunho couldn’t make out the man’s face but he could see very attractive lips. Face flushing at the intimate thought, Yunho rose to his feet and dusted off his simple pants and loose shirt.

The strange man said nothing but slowly climbed off his horse. Yunho expected a “Hello” or “How are you today?” Instead, the man started singing again. Yunho’s heart raced and all he could think to do when the song ended was to sing his own song back.

Just as the man stepped closer to Yunho, Lu blocked his path, ears pinned back in aggression. Yunho stared at the doe in surprise. With a gentle hand, he petted Lu on the back. “It’s okay…nothing to fear.”

When the strange man bowed, the doe finally stepped aside. Yunho said to the stranger, “Who are you? No one ever comes into these woods. You’re the first person I’ve seen in almost 10 years.”

Still in a bow, the man replied, “Rightfully so, my prince. My job is to make sure no one enters the forest.”

Something about the _“my prince”_ honorific pulled at Yunho’s heartstring but he couldn’t quite place it. “Your job? What do you do?”

The man straightened up and saluted. “I am with the Hwarang, Flower of the Youth Corps to be exact, my prince. My job is to protect the crown.”

Yunho gasped. It just occurred to him this man knew who he was. “You know I’m the prince! How can that be?” He was so used to Heechul calling him prince, Yunho didn’t bat an eyelash when this man called him by his title. He had to get out of here…this was careless and stupid!

Yunho turned on his heels and attempted to run away. But the man struggled to catch him. Yunho twisted and stepped on the man’s foot. With a hiss, the man let him go to nurse his injured foot. During the tussle, the man’s hat had slipped off revealing a gorgeous face.

A gorgeous but achingly familiar face.

A face with high cheekbones and wide eyes.

Eyes that had always sought approval and affection from him.

“Changmin...” Yunho muttered.

The man heard him and glared at his fallen hat. “You are mistaken, my prince.”

Yunho shook his head, moving forward until he could touch the soldier’s face. “It must be you. No one else ever called me _my prince_. No one else sang to me like you. Changdollie?”

Shoulders sagging, the man nodded. “I…I am your Changmin.”

Any residue of anger or bitterness quickly melted away. Yunho wrapped his arms around Changmin’s middle and squeezed. “Why?”

Slowly, Changmin’s arms came up to hold him. “Why what, my prince?”

Yunho nuzzled his face into Changmin’s shoulder, breathing in his woodsy scent. “Why did you want to leave me?”

“I never wanted to. It was all a lie to keep you safe. I didn’t know about it until you were taken away and I was put in Hwarang training.” Changmin tipped Yunho’s head up and looked into his eyes. “If I wasn’t so young and helpless to the decisions that were made for us, I would have been the one with you in the woods all these years.”

Yunho’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I missed you.”

Changmin shut his eyes. “I missed you, my prince. I hope you can forgive me. If it’s any consolation, I was always around you…just never able to see or touch you.”

When Changmin opened his eyes, Yunho was staring at him in wonder. “You’ve grown up so much. It’s hard to believe you are the same boy who bathed me, tucked me into bed, and played silly games with me all over the palace. You’re so handsome.”

Stuttering like a fool, Changmin said, “Y-You’re…” 

Yunho smiled and teased, “I’m…?”

“…perfect.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Prince Yunho’s singing all this time! He knew it was Yunho the moment he happened to come across him sleeping among the animals. It had to be him. No one else had a countenance such as Yunho – long lashes resting against snowy white skin, proportional nose, plump lips, and crescent eyes that were captivating when they gave you their full attention.

After taking in the fact that they found each other again, Changmin introduced Yunho to his horse. “This is Captain.”

The white horse immediately took to Yunho’s gentle cooing and touches. Changmin suggested, “How would you like to ride him?”

“You sure?”

“Of course, my prince.” He proceeded to help Yunho onto the horse. Captain jogged around and had Yunho laughing and whopping with wild abandon. Watching them with a smile on his face, Changmin wished he had more time with Yunho. Finally, he whistled to call Captain back to his side.

Changmin steadying Yunho’s rather precarious slide off the horse brought their bodies flush together and shy smiles to both their faces.

With hesitation, Changmin said wistfully, “I must leave you now.”

Yunho jolted back, eyelashes fluttering. “What? No! You can’t…I order you not to!”

Taken aback, Changmin asked, “What you like then, my prince?”

Yunho thought for a second then said, “For you to come visit me at my cabin. My birthday is tomorrow. I have not celebrated a birthday with anyone other than Heechul for 10 years. I want my friend back for this day. I want _you_ back.”

Changmin let in a shuddering breath. “I am not allowed to go near you, my prince.”

“You are near me now,” Yunho pointed out, cupping Changmin’s face. “Come lie with me for a while, please.”

Every fiber of his being could not say no to this man. Where Captain had knelt down for a rest, Yunho and Changmin sat down in the same spot and leaned against the horse. The other animals had watched the interaction from a distance then decided to approach the two men engrossed in each other. Yunho put Mo in his lap and introduced him to Changmin.

They talked of animals…of politics…of the world outside Yunho’s captivity…but none mentioned the eminent threat of Jiyong. Changmin hoped the demented wizard gave up his vendetta against the crown and Yunho will be able to come home permanently.

Unexpectedly, Yunho kissed both of Changmin cheeks. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, my prince,” He replied without thinking.

 Come hell and high water, Changmin would break all the rules to see Yunho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Good-bye, Lu,” Yunho kissed the doe on the head for strolling with him back to the cabin. Lu was watching something intently, however. Yunho noticed the object that had stolen the doe’s attention: it was the black sparrow perched atop one of the window sills. Lu whined then sprinted off back into the trees. A foreboding feeling washed over Yunho but it faded quickly. Nothing could dampen his mood right now.

“Heechul!” Yunho entered the cabin with a bounce in his step.

With an apron on, Heechul embraced the prince and walked him over to the kitchen, where an incredible three-tiered cake of pink and blue icing sat on the table. “Happy Birthday, little prince!”

“Oh you sweet man!” Yunho exclaimed happily. “Thank you! What a perfect end to a perfect day!”

“My, your mood has brightened up since this morning,” Heechul noted, beginning to slice up two pieces of cake. “And your basket is empty. Did you not pick any flowers?”

Yunho sunk into a chair and said dreamily, “I didn’t have to. I was reunited with a dear friend today.”

Heechul’s movements stilled. “You met someone in the forest? Yunho, how could you..”

“It’s not what you think,” Yunho explained. “It’s Changmin…remember the little boy who used to take care of me? I saw him again. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life.”

Yunho went on, oblivious to the slow look of horror crossing Heechul’s face. “He’s coming over tomorrow for my birthday…it’s that amazing? Heechul, I’m not sure what I feel for him, but I never want to let it go!”

Quietly, Heechul set the knife on the table and took off his apron. “No.”

“Pardon?” Yunho frowned worriedly.

“No. All that you said, I and your parents would forbid it. That boy is a solider now from what I’ve heard. You are a prince. A prince betrothed to another since you were a baby. Not to mentioned the threat of Jiyong. Tomorrow, I am to take you back to the palace where you will be reunited with Prince Siwon and shortly after…you will marry him.”

His world suddenly becoming bleak and hazy, Yunho reared back like Heechul had cut him. “Betrothed? This is all too fast. Do you mean to tell me I can never be with Changmin?”

Heechul lowered his eyes and shook his head. “Not in the way that I feel you want to be. He will remain a Hwarang and you, a prince betrothed.”

Heart burning and crumbling to pieces, Yunho ran up the stairs and locked himself in his room. Collapsing on the bed and succumbing to the tears, Yunho wished to sleep forever and never have to face this wretched, unjust world.   

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin returned to the palace that night and caught of glimpse Prince Siwon sauntering about the place. Immediately a wave of nausea hit him as he realized what tomorrow was. It wasn’t just Prince Yunho’s birthday; it was the betrothal celebration – the day the prince would return to his parents and marry Prince Siwon.

He couldn’t watch the man he loved marry another. Changmin would have to leave forever once the prince returned. He would apologize to Yunho and make up an excuse about leaving. Maybe he could ask to be transferred to the north to help with the war. Anything was more merciful that watching Yunho and Siwon live their life as a married couple.

Upon passing Prince Siwon in a corridor, interaction was unavoidable. Changmin bowed ever-so-slightly. The Prince of Baekje inclined his head and said, “Thank you for what you do. If there is a time where Prince Yunho needs rescuing, however, I will be the one to rescue him.”

 _We’ll see about that_ , Changmin seethed calmly.

The next day, Changmin saddled up his horse and rode towards forest. There was a large flock of sparrow circling the edge of the forest. Changmin found that odd since sparrow didn’t normally inhabit these woods. He patrolled the perimeter twice just in case but was not able to find any threat.

It was time to meet Yunho. Changmin was a mess of excitement and sadness, as this would be their last meeting.

Finding the cabin proved more difficult than he originally thought. It wasn’t just in the center, it was hidden somewhere. Changmin roamed for hours and still couldn’t find it.

_My prince, where are you?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heechul bathed and dressed Yunho handsomely for his reunion with Prince Siwon. The king and queen have yet to see Yunho too for everything was to be reserved for the ball that night. It was to be a night of happy tears for the royal family with plenty of food and drinks in celebration of the unification of the Silla and Baekje kingdoms.

Yunho stared at his reflection in the mirror, not responding to a single inquiry Heechul made. With a sigh, Heechul said, “You will adjust to this. That boy, Changmin, is nothing.”

“Go away,” Yunho whispered harshly.

The click from the door told him he was locked in this room. Tears immediately swarmed his eyes.

He was forever a prisoner.

A ball of red light appeared in front of his eyes right then, mesmerizing him. A soft voiced spoke to him, _“Follow me and I shall make your dreams come true.”_

 _Changmin_ , Yunho thought as he stood to follow. There was no point being cautious. He had nothing to lose.

The light led him through a secret door that he used to take to sneak into the gardens. The passage way was long and dark, but thanks to the ball of light, he didn’t need a candle. Soon he was stepping through another door – and he was met with the Silla palace’s breathtaking gardens.

Eyes still on the red light, Yunho trudged on through the large plants and flowers until the red light transformed into a bright, red rose. The soft voice from the light grew louder, clouding his mind from recognizing any danger. 

_“Touch it…and the one you desire to be with will be yours.”_

Yunho’s eyes glazed over. _Changmin._

He reached out a hand, a finger extended to one of the thorns…

Yunho bled and then everything went black.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin was growing worried. The sunlight was dimming whilst still mid-afternoon, making it harder to navigate through the woods. He pulled Captain’s reins back and listened to the rustling behind some bushes. He got his sword at the ready…

It was Lu – Yunho’s friend deer. The doe scraped his hoofs against the ground and turned his body away. It seemed the doe wanted them to follow. Changmin clicked his tongue that got Captain to a brisk amble down the path Lu was leading them on. Before long, a cabin came into view. This must be where Yunho lives!

He sprang off his horse, patted Lu in thanks, and walked up the dirt path to the front door. A black sparrow was watching him eerily as he knocked on the door.

No one answered.

Changmin called out, “My prince!”

The sparrow squawked, sending a shiver up his spine. He knocked again. Still no response. He took a chance and tried the door knob…it was unlocked.

Changmin stepped inside, uneasy with the entire situation. He didn’t see Yunho but there was a hooded figure seated on the sofa.

“Hello, peasant.”

“Heechul, sir?” Changmin hoped he was right.

The figure chuckled nastily. “Wrong. That Heechul will be in mourning soon enough.”

“What?” Changmin unsheathed his sword.

The hood fell down, uncovering the disarmingly beautiful face of Jiyong. Changmin pieced the situation together quickly. “You captured Yunho! Release him or you’ll regret it!”

Jiyong laughed maniacally. “Oh, I am quaking in my boots! Sadly, I’d love to release him and watch the Silla kingdom slip out of my control, but there’s one _tiny_ problem…”

Changmin sliced at the air in front of Jiyong and the wizard reared back and cackled spitefully, “Your precious prince is dead!” Jiyong swept his cloak back and Yunho’s cold body was in a heap on the floor.

“Yunho!” Changmin screamed and lunged forward. Jiyong and Yunho instantly vanished in a flash of red. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jiyong dumped Yunho’s body in the palace gardens where Heechul had been tirelessly searching for the prince.

A scream ripped from Heechul’s throat. “No!”

Jiyong sneered, “I won, you simpleton!”

Heechul held Yunho’s body in his arms and wept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin rode out of the woods in fury, blinded with tears of grief. The need for revenge boiled in his veins. _Kill Jiyong…kill Jiyong!_

As he grew closer to the kingdom, with the palace in sight, Changmin had to rein Captain back because the path was blocked by thorn bushes.

Heechul suddenly appeared in front of them, startling Captain. Changmin slid off and ordered the horse to heel. Stomping over to Heechul, Changmin grabbed the older man by the scruff of his neck. “I am not a child anymore so I feel I can freely say this: How could you have let this happen? He could have stayed in the palace the past 10 years and at least he would have had a chance to grow up normally. But you messed it up by keeping him locked up for most of his life! Now he’s gone!” Changmin voice cracked, shoulders slumped in defeat.

“I know, idiot boy! You think I can ever forgive myself?” Heechul pushed Changmin away with a powerful force.

Touching the bruise on his chest, Changmin said in astonishment, “You’re a wizard too.”

“No,” Heechul corrected disgruntledly, a pair of wings springing from his back. “A fairy. I can do no evil. I can only help through good. I am useless in fighting Jiyong on my own…but with you, I feel there is hope.”

“Hope?”

“Yes, hope. I have put the kingdom under a deep sleep. Prince Siwon was also captured by Jiyong. You are the only one that can bring Yunho back.”

“Why not help Siwon escape and aide him in saving Yunho?” Changmin asked suspiciously.

Heechul stared him dead in the eye and spoke plainly, “He is not Yunho’s true love. You are.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changmin broke through the mile of thorn bushes, seeing the path to the palace clearly now. Just then, thick thorn branches wrapped around the palace like serpents. With a tornado of red, Jiyong appeared, levitating a cage that had Prince Siwon trapped like a bird.

Jiyong’s eyes blazed red. “I underestimated you. _This_ was the useless one!” And the wizard dropped the levitation spell on the cage, causing it to tumble down. Heechul used a quick spell to help it land delicately on the ground.

“Heechul…you’re nothing but a feather-headed fairy. It’s the peasant boy with you I want to destroy!”

Changmin had his sword drawn out, fearing nothing at this point. He vaguely saw from the corner of his eyes Heechul letting Siwon out of the cage and ordering him to the north tower. “When this devil is killed, you must kiss the prince!” Changmin heard the fairy tell the obedient prince.

As Prince Siwon scurried off, Jiyong was growing more restless, smoke blowing out his mouth. “You think your mortal sword will defeat me? I have the powers of hell on my side. I will make you writhe and regret you ever challenged me!”

An explosion of red smoke was followed by Jiyong’s transformation into a gigantic, black dragon. Never in his life had Changmin seen anything of such monstrous form. The huge jaw of the dragon snapped at him and Changmin blinked out of his stupor to think fast on his feet. He swung, rolled, leaped, and kicked at every turn, dodging every obstacle.

Heechul was in the background, aiding in tempering any blows from the dragon and also concocting a metal shield to protect him from the fire-breathing monster.

His training only helped him so much since eventually he was in the dragon’s clutches. Jiyong spoke through the dragon’s body, “Ha! You’re mine now! Go and join your beloved prince in death!”

With the jaws of death snapping towards him, Changmin heard Heechul cry out, “Throw your sword into his heart, Changmin! I laced it with a spell!”  

Instinct and revenge guided his blade straight into the monster’s chest, instantly drawing a suffocating scream from the dragon. The monster’s scaly hand uncurled enough to free Changmin from its grasp. He watched as the monster crumbled, shaking the ground with its weight.

Jiyong was dead, at last!

The darkness and thorns all over the kingdom faded away and the sun shone once again.

Changmin stared up longingly the highest tower – Yunho’s room.

“Go,” Heechul appeared frazzled. “I doubt Prince Siwon could have woken him – I only gave him that order to get him out of the way. My counter-curse to Jiyong’s was for the rose’s thorn to put Yunho in a deep sleep until his true love awakens him with a kiss.”

“And you think I’m Yunho’s true love?”

Heechul swallowed with difficulty. “If you could have seen him both times I took him away from you…you’d know you are. Now, go. The rest of the kingdom should be awaking from their slumber.”

Smothering down his grief, Changmin dared to let in a small smidgen of hope as he climbed the stairs two-at-a-time to Yunho’s room.

Servant and nobles were gathered outside of Yunho’s room. When Changmin entered, he saw the king and queen grief-stricken at Yunho’s bedside. Prince Siwon was standing in the corner, watching the scene helplessly.

Without a preamble or apology, Changmin bent over Yunho and swooped down to lay a tender kiss on Yunho’s cold lips.

_Sleeping beauty…wake up…_

 

 

 

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eyes fluttering open, Yunho’s mind only registered Changmin gorgeous face and he _knew_ who had rescued him. With a smile, Yunho said, “Changdollie... _my_ prince.”

Changmin rested his forehead against his, exhaled like he had been holding his breath. “You’re alive. I love you. I don’t deserve you – I’m just a lowly peasant with no past and no future. But I love you.”

Yunho was aware of the people around him, his parents and even Prince Siwon. Though he missed his parents, there was nothing more important than Changmin at that moment. He encircled the younger man’s neck and pulled him on down. “You’re wrong…you _do_ have a future. With me. I love you.”

His eyes caught his mother’s, the person who had all the love in the world for him. She had tears in her eyes but was nodding and dragging his father and the others out of the room. Prince Siwon remained and spoke to Yunho. “You don’t want to marry me, do you?”

Letting Changmin out of his embrace, Yunho sat up and replied, “I’m sorry…I…”

Siwon glanced at Changmin then at Yunho. “I understand. Good-bye, Prince Yunho.”

When they were left alone, they shed their formal clothing and lied on the bed, facing each other. Yunho pressed himself into Changmin and asked, “Are you ready to rule the kingdom with me?”

“I don’t care about ruling,” Changmin stated, sprinkling kisses on Yunho’s face. “I just care about _you_. I want a family with you. I want to marry you, my prince.”

Running his fingers through Changmin’s hair and curling into each doting kiss, Yunho breathed, “ _Yes, my love._ ”

And they lived happily ever after – sometimes in the palace and sometimes in the woods amongst the animals.

Prince Yunho and Changmin, the Hwarang and the main protector of the crown, loved each other until their last breath. 

  

  


End file.
